Portable shielded desk



Jan. 2, 1968 F. w. HOWLETT PORTABLE SHIELDED DESK Filed July 11, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 -Fig.l-

INVENTOR. FREDERICK W. HOWLETT 14m &

Jan. 2, 1968 P. w. HOWLETT PORTABLE SHIELDED DESK Filed July 11, 1966 3 SheetsSheet Z BY M81144 United States Patent 3,361,090 PORTABLE SHIELDED DESK Frederick W. Hewlett, 4519 30th St., San Diego, Calif. 92116 Filed July 11, 1966, Ser. No. 564,312 4 Claims. (Cl. 108-33) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to furniture and specifically to a portable shielded desk. The structure incorporates a desk top with a back panel and side shields, each shield having a fixed wing and a hinged side panel and box type shelves which can be used in either of two positions are aflixed to said back panel along with an adjustable light and a power outlet, yet the entire structure can be folded into a compact unitary package for portability and storage, without the use of any tools, the fixed wings becoming the ends of the collapsed unit with the hinged side panels folding over the collapsed legs along with the shelves and other structure on the back panel.

Background of the invention requires no tools for either collapsing or erecting the structure.

Summary of the invention The shielded desk is developed around the concept of having lateral shields, each in two parts, one part being fixed to the back panel and the other folding over the collapsed legs and modesty shield as well as shelves on the back panel, while still retaining the capability of complete collapse into a valise-like unit.

The desk and its structural details are illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation view of the desk;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the desk;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 55 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation view of the desk showing the folding action of the shield;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged view taken in the direction of arrows 88 in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIGURE 6, showing the folding action of the legs;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged top plan view of the completely folded desk;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 1111 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 12-12 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged view taken in the direction of arrows 1313 in FIGURE 1.

3,361,090 Patented Jan. 2, 1968 "ice Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawing.

The basic structure of the desk comprises a work surface or desk top 10 fixed to a supporting frame 12, and a foldable shield assembly 14 attached to the desk top. Frame 12 has a rectangular top portion with a front member 16, a rear member 18 and side members 20 joined to corner posts 22 which extend downwardly. All the basic structural members of the frame are illustrated as square cross section metal tubing, which simplifies alignment and attachment of the various fittings. The frame has supporting legs which comprise a left front leg 24, a left rear leg 26, a right front leg 28 and a right rear leg 30, the front and rear legs of each pair being connected by a cross bar 32 near the lower ends thereof. The upper ends of the legs and the corners of the frame have slidably interlocking elements, specifically the legs plug into the respective corner posts 22 and are held by pins 34 extending from front to rear. Each leg has a longitudinal slot 36 through which pin 34 passes, allowing the leg to be pulled partially out of the corner post 22, the inner wall of each corner post having an opening 38 so that the legs can be folded inwardly. To fold the legs as compactly as possible the slots 36 in one pair of legs, illustrated as the left legs in FIGURE 9, are made longer than those in the other legs by approximately the thickness of a leg. This allows the left legs to be pulled further out of their corner posts to fold below and parallel to the right legs, as indicated in broken line position. The upper ends of slots 36 act as stops against pins 34 and have offset notches 40, so that the legs can be shifted laterally to provide clearance for folding.

At the lower end of each leg is a leg extension 42 telescopically slidable in the leg and having a glider or foot 44 of any suitable type. For height adjustment each leg has a pair of vertically spaced countersunk sockets 46 to receive the head of a screw 48 which screws into either of two threaded holes 50 spaced vertically in the leg extension 42. By aligning either the upper or lower threaded hole against either the upper or lower countersunk socket, a choice of three different leg lengths is available. Sockets 46 in each leg may be connected by a slot 52 to facilitate location of the threaded holes.

The desk top 10 may be of wood, metal, plastic, or any suitable combination or lamination of such materials, and has a peripheral trim molding 54 secured thereto, the top being secured to the frame 12 by screws or similar fasteners.

Shield assembly 14 comprises a back panel 56 with wing panels 58 fixed thereto and extending forwardly at opposite ends of the desk top 10. Secured to the forward edges of wing panels 58 are side panels 60 extending to the forward edge of desk top 10, the side panels being mounted on hinges '62 to swing inwardly from the wing panels. The lower edge of the shield assembly conceals the upper members frame 12, and the shield extends upwardly above the normal head level of an occupant seated at the desk. The forward upper portions 64 of side panels 60 preferably project forward at about eye level for added privacy. All panels of the shield assembly can be made from any of the materials mentioned for the desk top, but substantially thin, each panel having peripheral edge trim 66 for protection and neat appearance.

Fixed on the upper surface of desk top 10 forward of the rear edge and at opposite ends thereof are brackets 68, to which the shield assembly 14 is attached by means of hinge pins 70, so that the complete shield assembly can swing forward and down over the desk top. In the erected position the shield assembly is held by support bars 72 under the forward lower edges of side panels 60. Each support bar 72 slides laterally in a guide 74 fixed to the underside of .side rail 20 and has a stop 76 to limit outward motion. The outer end of each support bar 72 has an upturned flange 78 which fits outside the side panel 60, as in FIGURE 3, and holds the assembly in place.

Attached to the central upper portion of back panel 56 is a lamp 80 pivotally mounted on a bracket 82, many types of such lamps being readily available. An electrical wiring duct 84 leads from bracket 82 down to an electrical outlet 86 near the desk top for connection of electrical apparatus, and a power supply cable 88 extends from the rear of back panel 56. Various arrangements of lamps and outlets may be used, depending on the particular use of the desk.

Mounted on the back panel 56 on opposite sides of lamp 80 are shelf units 90, each comprising a box-like structure with a top shelf 92, a shorter lower shelf 94 and a closed rear wall 96. Each shelf unit is attached to the back panel by a hinge 98 along the rear edge of top shelf 92, so that the shelf unit can fold upwardly, as indicated in broken line in FIGURE 5. If the shelf unit is of sheet steel, a magnet 100 in back panel 56 will hold the unit in the upright position, the wall 96 then providing a closed bottom and making a useful storage container of the shelf unit. With other materials a magnetically permeable plate may be secured to the top shelf 92, or a suitable mechanical catch may be used.

Extending between the rear legs 26 and 30 is a lower Shield panel 102, the upper edge of which is attached by hinges 104 to the underside of desk top 10, so that the panel can swing up below the desk top. In the lowered position the panel 102 is held by latches 106 pivotally mounted on legs 26 and 30 and engaging studs 108 on the panel, the latches being secured by clamp nuts 110 on the studs. Panel 102 serves the dual purpose of a shield and a brace for the leg assembly.

For carrying purposes a retractable handle 112 is mounted on the front member 16, the handle having end posts 114 which are slidable through the front member and are connected at their rear ends by a tie bar 116 of magnetically permeable material. A magnet 118 on the underside of desk top 10 holds the handle in retracted position against the forward face of front member 16, the handle being easily pulled out when needed.

To fold the desk the shelf units 92 are swung to the upright position, then the forward edges of side panels 60 are raised slightly to clear flanges 78 and support bars 72 are retracted inwardly. Shield assembly 14 can then swing forward and down with the side panels along the outside of the leg assembly, as indicated in broken line in FIG- URE 6. Hinge pins 70 are spaced upwardly and forwardly from the rear edge of desk top 10 sufficiently to provide clearance for the shelf units 92 when the shield assembly is lowered, the back panel 56 being substantially parallel to and spaced above the desk top in that position.

The entire desk is then tipped back until the rear edge of the desk top rests on the floor. In this position the latches 106 are released and panel 102 is raised to lie against the lower surface of the desk top. The legs can then be pulled out of their sockets in the corner posts 22 and folded inwardly. Finally the side panels 60 are hinged inwardly to overlap in front of the legs and enclose the folded structure, as in FIGURE 10. Any suitable catch or strap can be used to hold the unit closed, a particularly simple one being composed of a pair of confronting magnets 120 in the side panels 60. The magnets will hold the panels together under most handling conditions, since there is very little load which would tend to open the structure. For carrying the handle 112 is pulled out, the

weight of the structure being reasonably well balanced about the handle. The folded desk is basically a rectangular box and is stackable in any convenient manner.

To erect the desk the process is reversed, the side panels being opened and the legs extended and locked in place with the lower panel 102 latched down. It is then easier to raise the desk to stand on all four legs with the shield assembly still lowered, the shield assembly being raised last and held up while the support bars 72 are extended.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A portable shielded desk, comprising:

a generally rectangular rigid frame having a desk top fixed thereto;

supporting legs at the corners of said frame pivotally mounted to swing inwardly below the frame;

a shield assembly including a back panel, with fixed wing panels extending forwardly therefrom on opposite sides of said desk top;

hinge means on opposite sides of said desk top adjacent the rear edge thereof;

said fixed wing panels being pivotally mounted on said hinge means to swing forward and down over the desk top;

side panels normally extending forwardly from and in co-planar relationship with said fixed wing panels and hinged to forward ends of said fixed wing panels to swing inwardly and overlap over the legs and the underside of said desk top when the desk is collapsed.

2. A desk according to claim 1, and including a lower shield panel extending between said legs at the rear of the desk, retaining means releasably securing said lower shield panel to said legs, and said lower shield panel being hinged to the underside of said desk top to fold upwardly between the inwardly swung legs and the desk top.

3. A desk according to claim 1, wherein said hinge means comprises brackets fixed on said desk top forward of the rear edge and extending upwardly therefrom, said shield assembly being hinged to the upper ends of said brackets, whereby said back panel is spaced above said desk top in the folded position of the shield assembly.

4. A desk according to claim 3, and including at least one box-like shelf unit hinged on said back panel to swing between horizontal and vertical positions, said back panel being spaced from said desk top in folded position by said brackets sufficiently to clear said shelf unit in its vertical position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 242,804 6/1881 Vanstone 108132 915,913 3/1909 Warren l0850 X 1,039,868 10/1912 Whitney 1081 15 1,790,836 2/1931 Porter et al. 2,054,098 9/1936 Rich 108-432 X 2,683,069 7/1954 Kimmel. 2,942,924 6/1960 Stangert 312-196 X 3,027,214 3/1962 Curatolo 312196 X 3,156,510 11/1964 Hindin et al. 1085O X 3,211,506 10/1965 Levy et al 312-196 X BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

GLENN Q. FINCH, Assistant Examiner, 

